Of Frost and Spring
by Telperien92
Summary: Being a Guardian has brought hardly any changes to Jack's life. As he struggles to coexist with his new companions, Jack has to adapt to ways completely foreign to him. However, with an ominous being bringing back his fears and insecurities from the past, he has to learn to trust and open up to his fellow Guardians who have already accepted him into their family.
1. The Lonely Spirit

Chapter 1 – The Lonely Spirit

The town of Burgess which bustled with life and activity has slowly subsided in its vigor as the sun slowly descend below the horizon, leaving the last of its amber glow before the night takes over the endless skies.

Jamie sighed as he stared longingly out of the window, remembering that day where he fought valiantly together with the Guardians and his friends. It was only a few months ago and the image of Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Sandman was still clear in his mind.

But what never really left him since that day was the thought of the sprite-like boy that looked almost human, but with an air of chill and excitement around him. He was Jack Frost.

Although their meeting was a brief one, Jamie felt like he has known him for a long time. The memory of his sleigh ride that caused the loss of his tooth played vividly within, and he sighed thinking how little he had thanked him for reviving his belief in the Guardians.

"No one really believed in Jack Frost, he must have been really lonely all his life."

He remembered the first day when all the Guardians were in his room, and there was this apparent empty space which could almost fit a person between them. He saw no one at that time, but he felt as though someone was there. A feeling of pain and rejection, but he was too excited to comprehend it.

He sighed and snuggled quietly in his bed, reminding himself that Jack will always be with him in his heart. He smiled and fell asleep.

* * *

The glittering of Sandy's amorphous golden sand twirled around the sky forming tendrils and wavelike entities as they float towards the children in Burgess.

It was this sight that Jack longed for the most at night, where he will let the wind carry him from sand to sand to dwell in the happy dreams of the children. He remembered fondly the golden dolphin that circled around, but that was a thing in the past.

Leaning his back on a tree trunk with his staff gripped in his right hand, he looked at the frozen lake where everything he had known about himself came to life.

Burgess has always been his home, but this lake was prominent to him and has always drawn him back due to the memories that he treasured. The lake located in the heart of the forest was the only place he could call home.

Things have not changed much ever since he agreed to be a Guardian. The other Guardians have been working hard trying to revive the hope of the children of the world in them.

North has been preparing gifts in advance together with his Yetis for this coming Christmas while Tooth and Sandy have been running an everyday routine; collecting teeth from and giving dreams to the children of the world.

A pang of guilt hit him deep within his heart as he thought about Bunnymund. The Pooka was probably feeling the pain and rejection he has felt for the past three hundred years of his life. It was no relieve that someone was living in the same shoes as him, and Jack still blamed himself for ruining this year's Easter.

"If only I could make things right for that kangaroo…" But he knew nothing could be done until the next Easter.

Jack sighed heavily and put down his staff. He picked up a bunch of fresh snow from the ground, shaped it into a ball and blew a gust of air on it freezing the already solid snowball. He tossed it from palm to palm playfully, his face shone with glee as he admired the wonders that he could create with his given power.

Due to a life of isolation, he relished in every little thing he encountered. He sought any form of entertainment and distraction he could to ward away the impending feeling of loneliness that crept within his heart. He felt sheepish after awhile and decided to throw the snowball away but was dismayed by the sound of a crack resulting from the impact of the frozen snowball and the thin ice formed on the lake.

The cracking sound of the ice echoed in his head with increasing resonance. Jack curled up held his head tightly, as though he was trying to stop the vibrating sound from within. His eyes were screwed shut and he grunted, trying to fight the hammering pain within as the sound remained in him and refused to leave the tormented teenager alone.

He struggled with the sound in his head, panting, but surrendered to it finally knowing that he has no control of his situation. As he calmed down, the sound in his head seemed to subside leaving him in a dazed state but just as he thought he could afford to catch his breath he stared in horror at the crack formed in the middle of the lake.

A petite girl with straight shoulder length brown hair was shivering from head to toe, eyes damped and her face was pale with fear. She was crying as she stood on the crack, beads of tears cascading down her cheeks, scared that if she made a single effort to move, the ice beneath will give way.

The girl was his sister, straight out of the memories of his childhood.

And although she was far at the middle of the lake, he could hear her as though her voice spoke from within him. "J-Jack… I'm afraid…."

He would never forget that voice. Although Jack did not know his sister's name, he knew that he was willing to trade anything that belonged to him to protect her. He gave his life, for her.

Fear gripped his heart, but he knew that he had to remain strong for his sister. His eyes were wild with panic. He took a few quick steps to close up the distance between them on barefoot and he smiled to hide his worries from her. And though he was light, the thin ice was beginning to give way as he approached her.

She screamed as the ice beneath Jack's feet begins to crack, forming a network of jagged lines around his feet. He froze in his track, to prevent the aggravation of his sister's fear. His childhood memories were still vivid in his mind. Still smiling to calm his sister, he decided to repeat his history.

"It's okay, it's okay... Just look at me. We're gonna have a little fun!"

"N-no games Jack. T-this is not fun a-anymore…" She said through her tears.

It pained Jack to see his sister crying but his smile remained. He needs to be strong for her. "Have I ever tricked you?"

"You always play tricks…!" Her crying never subsided.

"N-n-no not this time! I promise, I promise I won't let you fall in. You're going to be fine! You have to believe in me."

Believe.

The word struck him keenly. Though the word was of his making, it often gave him strength and comfort. Not many believed in him, and he will do anything to protect those who do. He fought back the welding up of tears in his eyes. He needed to do this, for his younger sister.

"O-okay…" She stopped sobbing, but she was still shivering from fear.

"You wanna play a game? Let's play a game of hopscotch! Like we always do." He was focused on her to bring her attention away from the cracking ice beneath, but he was scared himself as he knew that the thin ice might not be able to support his weight.

"Like this," and he took a light step forward, "One," and continued on "Two, and three!" He was relieved to see a glimmer of hope in his sister's eyes as he stood firmly on the thin ice. "Your turn now, one…"

As he started counting, his sister gingerly took a step forward. Though her steps were small, they were good enough to close the distance and on the count of three, he reached out to try and hook his sister to safety, but something was amiss. He was not holding his staff.

Jack slipped and fell on the ice and he scowled in pain from the fall but he looked up to maintain sight of his quivering sister.

"J-jack?" Her voice overwhelmed with fear.

As his face began to lose its colour, the thin ice beneath his sister began to crack violently. The breaking of the ice played like a death melody in his ears, as she fell into the frozen lake and her frightened scream echoed through the surrounding.

"No!"

Jack tried to dive into the lake to save his younger sister, but something was holding him back, something dark and sinister. His eyes widened in horror as he lay paralyzed on the frozen lake and watched his little sister descending slowly down the lake.

He fought against the ethereal being, but as much as he struggled, he could not break free from its grip. His limbs did not obey him and he laid there motionless, with no control of his own body. He hated this weakness and stared helplessly at the gap of ice in front of him.

Jack was devastated. He did not know how long he remained motionless. It was then, he heard a faint and familiar voice calling to him.

* * *

"Jack! Jack! Wake up ya little ankle biter."

"Wh-what..?" Jack opened his eyes only to meet with a pair of bright emerald eyes. It was Bunnymund.

Bunnymund's hands were on his shoulders and from the looks of the crease formed on his blue hooded sweater, it looked like he was shaken up from a nightmare. A very bad one…

"Had a nightmare mate? Ya don't look so well." He freed his hands from the waking boy.

All these years of isolation has not changed who Jack really was. Just because he became a Guardian does not mean he had to be someone else. And he really wanted to be alone.

"I-I'm fine, it was nothing." Jack looked away, to avoid the gaze of the Pooka.

Bunnymund knew that was a lie and had little patience with the toughness Jack was trying to potray "What d'ya take me for? A little kan-"

"I'm fine!" Jack said indignantly. The bunny furrowed his eyebrows as he was not pleased with the young Guardian's attitude. Sure he was still a teenager and was still innocent, but that did not mean he could do and say whatever that he wanted to. But he maintained his composure, knowing that Jack was still uncomfortable with help and care from others.

He decided just to do what he was told. "Ol' man from the north had sent me to check on ya mate, the others were worried sick about ya"

"Tell them I'm alright" With that Jack rose from where he was leaning, picked up his staff and flew up to the sky, leaving a frustrated Pooka behind who yelled something incoherent at him.

He allowed the wind to carry him around aimlessly, high up in the sky where his emotions were flowing just as aimlessly. He landed after a while and lay back on a huge branch of an oak tree. He pillowed his head with his palms, his gentle white hair pressing against them as he looked at the starry sky.

Memories of his lonely past began to flood his mind; the feeling of rejection, insecurity, loneliness and the dreadful silence. Tears threatened to form in his blue eyes but he fought them back and refused to give in. But he could not forget all the pain and suffering he had to go through. Could not understand why the other Guardians only came to him when he was needed. He felt like he was used and forgotten.

The nightmare he had just moments ago haunted him even as he was awake. The vision of his drowning younger sister replayed clearly, replacing all his current thoughts. He jumped into a sitting position, feeling startled and scared.

"S-she didn't drown!" Jack exclaimed to himself. But in his head, a wispy and malicious voice was whispering to him.

_"She didn't, but she suffered… after your death"_

Jack's eyes widened with fear, "That can't be!"

_"And how would know? You do not even know her name…"_ The voice teased his very conscience.

"Yes, I do…- I don't…" Jack lowered his head in shame, but his action to avoid the voice was in vain.

_"You cannot escape the truth Jack… You know nothing of her!"_

Fear has found a way into the little Guardian, his heart palpitated wildly. He strained his eyes closed and tried to push away threatening voice.

"Stay away from me!" Jack screamed.

The voice laughed with an inhumane glee as it trailed off, leaving the Guardian vulnerable and shaken.

Jack did not budge, his body stiffened. He was alarmed and filled with mental agony. He needed someone, anyone to be around him.

"W-who was that voice…?" The question repeated in his mind.

He felt broken and downhearted, as though enveloped by grief itself. Tears stung his terrified innocent eyes. Feeling weakened and defeated, he gave way and laid on his side, crying himself to sleep. Alone, once again.

* * *

**_Well, that's it for Chapter 1! I hope you guys liked it... It's my very first try in writing fan fiction and I'm thoroughly nervous about it. I do accept criticism openly, but I hope you'll be nice with me xD. Cheers!_**


	2. The Guardians

Chapter 2 – The Guardians

Bunnymund grumbled to himself as he hopped through his magic tunnels, heading back to North's Workshop, or now North's Tavern ever since the other Guardians have grown a liking to gather in the North Pole except for the warmth loving bunny. This was probably because of Jack Frost who loved the ice and snow ever so much.

Tooth was clearly fond of Jack – or more specifically his teeth where she and her platoon of mini fairies would swoon and stare in awe every time he gave so much as a grin.

North, on the other hand liked the young Guardian… Well just because he was young! To him Jack was like any other child; innocent, playful and maybe at times, naughty. The old man would not believe the Pooka even if told otherwise. He trusted his belly more than anything else.

Well how about Sandy? They probably enjoyed each other's silent company. Silence is golden as they say and Sandy is as gold as it gets.

Bunnymund sighed at the thought of Jack Frost. He was never really on good terms with him even before the blizzard of '68. Though he was touched when Jack helped Jamie to believe in him, he could never equate it to the summed up mess and tricks that was caused by the newest Guardian.

His train of thought dispersed as a snowy clearing appeared in sight. Bunny shivered as the frigid air brushed against his fur - he really hated the cold and wanted to get out of it as quickly as possible. Bursting into a sprint, he hopped in quick succession to North's Workshop, reaching within seconds.

Cocking his eyebrow questioningly at the yetis, The Pooka tapped his paw impatiently waiting for the door to be opened. The cold was really getting to him. The two yetis looked at each other before grunting at the bunny's unceremonious behavior. They began to push open the huge arched wooden door, revealing a pathway leading to the globe room. The globe of Earth rotated silently in the center, dimly illuminated only by a single light; the glow from the Moon.

* * *

Deep in thoughts, North stroked his beard while pacing from pillar to pillar. The giant of a man had been rather quiet since the defeat of Pitch. Combined with his workload for this coming Christmas day, he had not been talking much at all. Tooth fleeted around uneasily while Sandy slept near the fireplace.

Bunnymund decided to break the silence. "The little ankle biter said he's fine."

Tooth was startled, but she was clearly glad to hear that from the Pooka. She flew gracefully to Bunnymund, eager with excitement. "Really? Is he okay? Where is he? What is-"

"Hold on a second! One at a time…" Bunny sighed, "Boy was having a nightmare, didn't look all that good, mate."

Tooth gasped. North stopped his pacing and looked inquiringly at Bunnymund; his eyebrows furrowed.

"Nightmare you say? What about?" North was edged with curiosity.

"Boy wouldn't say anything about it, just flew away after," Bunny replied simply.

Tooth stared accusingly at Bunny, whereupon he brushed her stare away with a few sweeping gesture, leaving behind a very displeased Tooth Fairy.

The whole hall was tensed, nothing sounded cheery or warm – not even the crackling of the fire place nor the jostling and tumbling of the elves in their tinkling hats. The trio turned in unison to look at the globe, the flickering golden light was barely noticeable on the huge globe. They were hardly any children who still believed in them.

Bunny looked at his own shadow and grimaced at his thought, "I hate to say this, but I got a feelin' that, Pitch is behind all this."

"Pitch?" North tugged on his own beard, thinking. "He has been gone for few months only, how can that be?"

Bunny shrugged, "Nightmares don't come and go without a cause, what d'ya think Tooth?" He looked hopefully at the most resourceful Guardian.

"Well, I've recently returned to my fieldwork. I'm hoping to set things right and to see the little children!". She said gleefully before trailing off, "but I did encounter a couple of fearlings, no sign of the Boogeyman though."

They proceeded into a deep discussion continuing onto nowhere until they heard a loud jingling sound coming from behind them. It was Sandy, using one of the elves as a bell again. He dropped the poor elf roughly who quickly scrambled away from him as he approached the trio, conjuring an image above his head – the sign of infinity.

"What is it Sandy? What do you think is infinite?" Tooth flew closer to him, curiosity getting the better of her. Talking to Sandy was like a game of charades which she enjoyed.

Sandy plopped his shoulders and looked down, unsure of how he wanted to express himself. As he gazed at Tooth's shadow, his face began to shine with enthusiasm and he started conjuring golden sand images fervently; first the sign of infinity, followed by Pitch, then a sleeping child and finally… himself?

The Guardians were perplexed, but suddenly Tooth shot up with excitement, her feathers fluffed up in conjunction with her glee, "Oh I know! I know! Sandy, you wanted to say that your dream sand will always help the children to sleep! And that they won't think about Pitch again! Am I right?"

Sandy slapped his forehead looking slightly exasperated.

"Calm down Tooth," North said, trying to coax the exuberant Tooth Fairy to calm down.

"Oh sorry," Tooth giggled sheepishly.

Sandy repeated his images, sequencing them with a number as well as emphasizing on Pitch and the infinite sign.

Tooth stopped herself mid-flight, but staying afloat. "You mean… Pitch will always be around? Feared by the children and that's why, you're here?"

Sandy nodded in agreement. He was glad that he was finally understood.

Tooth looked to the others for confirmation. Bunnymund just turned away to avoid her gaze but she knew North already had something in mind from his expression.

"Sandy you were first Guardian chosen by Man in the Moon, yes?" Sandy nodded in agreement.

"Pitch will always be around, never defeated." North exclaimed with a gruff voice. "Sandy was chosen to keep the children from fearing dark nights, by giving them good dreams…"

Bunnymund decided to cut in, "Ya think the little ankle biters have fears livin' inside them?"

North nodded grimly. "It is our job to protect children of the world. To give them hope and wonder, joy and dreams. Until they grow up…"

"Fear will never leave their hearts, our gifts are only temporary," Tooth added, feeling defeated.

* * *

Bunnymund marched out of North's workshop; hating all the dreary feelings inside. He refused to believe that they are their importance were only temporary to the children. Hope always triumphs over fear, it doesn't lie and it keeps the children going on, helping them believe that their coming days will be better.

He's the Easter Bunny! The bringer of new life and hope, where children leave their bad past behind and start anew, with faith and strength!

But what's this churning feeling that he felt? The loss of hope, when he wasn't believed in? The feeling that hope sometimes does abandon you, and leaves you on your own. And all that's left behind – lurking in the dark, was the crippling fear. The Pooka drew his boomerang and instantaneously threw it towards the first object he saw, a big mound of snow. The boomerang left behind a violent spray of snow before returning to his arms.

He was angry, not only at the cold, not at the fact that Pitch is gaining the upper hand, but at himself. He regretted his impatience at Jack just a moment ago. The young Guardian who always had an air of fun around him was at the forefront of his mind. The Pooka knew that Jack was probably all by him self right now, reminiscing about his past life. Behind all the bright smiles and joyous laughter, he really needed them and longed to be with them even if he wouldn't admit it. Who would? After hundreds of years of rejection - even a child would give up hope in just a few days of neglect. All these years of loneliness had frozen his heart, preventing him from reaching out to others.

Bunnymund gave a long sigh. He knew Jack could somehow bring strength and happiness to the other Guardians. It was his selfless innocence and his playful presence that gave strength to them. After all, Jack himself is like a child and they have not done anything in return for this child, in particular.

"There is a time for everything and everything in its time mate…" He whispered to the wind as he looked across the endless white horizon. He decided that the time was right for him to accept the young Guardian and to make peace with him. Jack must be at a very vulnerable stage of his life. Bunny's senses prickled and he tapped his paw instinctively on the snow, jumped into the tunnel and headed quickly to where he thought the lonely Guardian might be.

* * *

_**There! Chapter 2, I was so thrilled at all the reviews given to me! Thank you for all the kind words =D. Chapter 2 is up! I need some time to build my plot, I like to move slowly in my story. Thank you all for following and I hope you'll be patient with me XD! Once again, I accept criticism, but be nice to me haha!**_


	3. A Greater Enemy

Chapter 3 – A Greater Enemy

Bunnymund hopped out of the tunnel and landed smoothly on the snow. He shivered, from the cold but decided that it was bearable for now. Jack's lake was just a couple of yards ahead. Poor Jack, it was the only place he could go back to – it was everything to him.

But he knew that the boy would not return to his lake. After all, he wanted to be alone. It was passed midnight, and the moon glow was gentle in the bright starry sky. Bunny gazed at the moon. He hoped for clues on the whereabouts of the young Guardian. But the Man in the Moon remained silent.

It was strange that it snowed so much in Burgess. Sometimes, Bunny wondered if the very presence of Jack himself caused the snow. After all, he was the Spirit of Winter. The thought sent a chill to his spine. He would not like him over at his Warren – the image of snow on his Sentinel Eggs and the lake and streams frozen were bad enough, let alone the cold.

The Pooka took the direction which Jack headed to, hoping that he did not change his course of travel. He hopped nimbly through the forest, maintaining the silence of the stark quiet surrounding. He would hate to find Jack only to see him fly away again; he probably would, given the fact that he disliked Bunny the most among all the other Guardians. But he reminded himself repeatedly that this was for the wellbeing of their newest Guardian.

Bunny had probably looked around for an hour. His effort was fruitless and he began to get frustrated. It wasn't because he had no lead or was tired, it was the cold. It had gotten chillier from where he came from, but he considered it as a good sign that Jack might be close by. He may have made the surrounding area colder.

An uneasy feeling crept in his heart. It was then that he caught a glimpse of a fleeting shadow a few feet away from him. He stopped in his tracks and moved into a defensive stance, hands on his boomerangs and his egg bombs.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Bunny demanded.

There was a sinister laugh. A dark shadow began to form on a tree trunk nearby. The laughter echoed through the forest, causing the frightened birds to flee frantically from it.

Bunny knew it was none other than Pitch. But it did not sound like him at all; it was guttural, almost animal-like. Though unsure, he remained steadfast in his stance.

"I know who ya are, come out ya lil ratbag!" Bunny yelled impatiently.

_"And who do you think I am, hmmm?"_ The voice teased. _"Pitch? If so… you are very wrong."_

It wasn't Pitch? His mind started racing. Then who could it be? Could he be lying…? But what's this gripping fear he's feeling? Bunny was stunned, his limbs felt weak and he could not move. He tried to take a step forward and move his arms. But he just couldn't.

_"What is the matter? You do not look so well,"_ The voice gave an ominous laugh. _"What were you trying to do, move?"_

Bunnymund trembled in fear. He could not protect himself and he was completely vulnerable.

The voice relished every moment of his terror. He was bound by its presence and it knew he was powerless against it. _"Look at you, squirming in fear. You are helpless against me – Just like Jack!"_

Jack… That's right. He's still alone, waiting. Bunny knew that he has to find him. Whatever that's occurring to him probably happened to the young Guardian as well. He couldn't afford to be afraid, he needed to fight on!

He mustered all the strength he could gather. Tension built up in his arm and with one heavy flinging motion, he managed to toss one of his boomerangs towards the shadow at the tree trunk. It cut right across it, and flew back – breaking the tree trunk completely and landed a couple of steps in front of him. The shadow disappeared as the tree crashed to the ground, but not the horror it brought with it.

_"Impressive, you are not as weak as I thought you will be, Easter Bunny. But how far will your hope carry you? You are not ready…"_ And the voice faded with the gust of frosty wind.

Bunnymund managed to break his fall with his arms and knees as he fell. He was exhausted. This was not Pitch, it was someone even greater. It was a different person altogether; someone darker and a bigger threat to them and the children of the world. He panted continuously in hopes to gain back his composure. He has to find Jack as soon as possible and head back to warn the others.

His legs were trembling as he stood up slowly, but he did not falter. He retrieved his boomerang and chased the cold wind that was his only probable lead to find the young Guardian.

* * *

The warm glow of the morning sun illuminated the horizon, slowly. The forest was still and although it was early winter, snow was falling in abundance. The rays of light danced on the freshly fallen snow, causing an endless sparkle on the pure white surface.

The light found its way eventually to the resting Guardian and gently touched his soft pale skin. His eyes twitched as the light got brighter. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the sudden morning light before he got up into a sitting position. He was crying even in his sleep; a trail of frozen tears clung to his face. As he touched the tears, it melted from his power over the element and wiped them off. He did not like the tears a single bit.

Jack picked up his staff. It was leaned against the trunk of the oak tree that he slept on. He was surprised that he remembered to place it properly even in such grief; it must have been something really valuable to him even before he became the Spirit of Winter. He admired the hoarfrost that was formed uniformly along the hook of his conduit, touching it gingerly and admiring its beauty. It was never of the same pattern – unlike his repetitive life.

He sighed and allowed the wind to carry him gently to the ground as he jumped off the oak branch. He looked around the forest, without a sense of purpose.

He decided that he should have a little fun to forget everything from the night before. It was a good idea.

He melted the snow with a touch of his hand, forming a small puddle of water. Then with a tap of his finger, he froze it instantaneously. He knelt down, buried the end of his staff firmly in the snow and placed a finger on the frozen puddle. He observed excitedly as fernlike spirals of frost decorated the ice that was the shape of his hand.

Jack let out a chuckle at the sight of his work and decided that he should create a track with these frozen puddles. He felt elated after awhile and started to laugh at his own work of art.

* * *

Bunny's ears twitched as he heard it coming from a great distance, he recognized that laugh. A sense of relieve overcame his weary heart. He was still weak from the struggle with the dark voice and it only worsened with the endless search. He felt worn out and heavily encumbered by the crippling fear that plagued his mind.

But the joyous laughter brought strength to him. Fueled with determination, he mustered all the energy that he could, and hopped to the source of the sound. He skidded along the way but managed to regain his balance. There was a puddle of ice that took the shape of a hand and it formed a track. He knew he was close and though he was out of breath, he continued on.

His vision was blurred but he could make out a figure from a distance. Reassurance roused with him at the sight of the matted white hair and blue sweater as he got closer. It felt like Easter Sunday to him. Bunnymund stopped right next to Jack and tried to catch his breath.

"Heya, lil fella…" Bunny managed to word it out, despite the overwhelming fatigue.

Jack knew this voice too well, but he wasn't quite ready to explain himself. Let alone talk to anyone else. There was a moment of silence, but Jack decided that his action yesterday was not fair to him.

"Hey Bunnymund, I'm alright… It's just-"Jack's words were cut short when he turned to look at the bunny. He shot up quickly to get a hold on the falling Pooka. His body was limp and cold – patches of his fur were frozen solid and his paws were bleeding profusely.

Panic struck his heart. He had to do something for him and he needed to do it quick. He was never experienced in taking care of injuries. After all he had no one that he could do it to. North was the first person that came to his mind. The Santa Clause would probably be able to help the Pooka as he remembered seeing an infirmary within the workshop some time ago.

He struggled to get Bunnymund on his back. It wasn't a very good idea as he much smaller compared to the six-foot-one Pooka. If he had to walk, he probably wouldn't last a mile with this weight on him. The young Guardian took a glance at the unconscious bunny, and felt a pang of guilt. He wished that he did not run away from him the night before.

Jack made sure that Bunnymund was properly saddled on his back before he reached for his staff. He held it firmly and trails of frost began to spiral around the dark wood – it pulsated with energy. He took a deep breath and made a quick sweeping movement with it. A strong gust of wind was stirred up from a distance and it carried them high up the sky and blew them towards the North Pole.

* * *

_**Firstly, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all of you who reviewed my fan fiction. Thank you very much for your support and kind words, it really kept me inspired and motivated to carry on haha =D.**_

_** To my followers and those who tagged my fan fiction as your favourite, thank you to you too! My heart skipped with joy literally (I know it's impossible LOL but meh!), and I'm so glad that my story has credits in your eyes.**_

_** You guys are great! Your support means a lot to me. I'll try my best to write whenever I can. I have most of my plot ready and I just need to put them down into words xD. But as I promised, it will not be a rushed story but I will try to update my story consistently if possible. Cheers! And thanks again =D!**_


	4. Unavoidable Truth

Chapter 4 – Unavoidable Truth

It was almost comical to see the big four in such a state but Jack held back his imperative need to laugh. With North telling him that Bunnymund had just been overworking himself and was going to be alright, he felt a heavy weight being lifted off his shoulders. The Easter Bunny was sound asleep on his bed with a duvet neatly drawn over his body. Golden carrots were circling above him as Sandy worked his magic to put the weary bunny to rest.

Tooth and North on the other hand had a tiff over the bandages that they had wrapped around the bunny's paws. One of them were clearly too thin and barely covered his wounds while the other was just the exact opposite and looked almost like a full fiber cast. Although he was focused on his duty, Sandy still managed to find the time to stare disapprovingly at the other two Guardians for their unnecessary squabble.

Jack was really grateful to the kangaroo. Much as he disliked his disapproval of him and his arrogance, he wouldn't want anything bad to happen to the Pooka - especially after what he had done for him. Jack watched the four from a distance. The boisterous atmosphere made him feel out of place as he was not used to it. He longed to be with them, sharing in on the fun and laughter for he has been wishing for a companion ever since he was reborn. The thought of being a part of this family chipped away at him, but his solitary past gnawed at his mind and it compelled him to remain in his safe isolation. It told him that they might just abandon him again and he wouldn't be able to handle it.

He walked out of the room quietly; the room was becoming overwhelming for him. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay with the familiar silence for long - and he was right. Just as he took a seat in a dim corner along the hallway, the Tooth Fairy came out looking for him. The young Guardian lowered his head and gazed at the rug on the stone floor, hoping that she would him alone. Questions were the absolute last thing he wanted with so much going through his mind. However, the sound of the fluttering wings remained.

"Jack, are you alright?" Tooth asked sincerely.

Jack kept quiet. If there had to be someone in the world he could not avoid, it would be Tooth. Perhaps it was her affectionate nature and maternal instinct but somehow she was always able to talk to him. She flew closer to him in hope of a response. Much as he wanted to dismiss her, he couldn't bear to hurt Tooth who only came with an earnest intention. Jack decided to try to put her mind at ease.

"Hey Tooth. I'm okay, just a little shaken…" Jack looked at her, seeing a growing concern behind those lavender eyes. "I had a bad dream… I just can't seem to get it out of me…" Jack added, with reluctance.

Tooth flew next to him and knelt down, her wings slowing. She placed her hands gently on his shoulders, hoping to console the young Guardian. "What's it about…?" Jack pursed his lips; hesitant to share his problems with her. Tugging his shoulder away, he maintained his dreary silence.

"It's about your childhood, isn't it?" She worriedly asked.

Sighing, Jack lowered his head and nodded. He was unsure whether to isolate himself or to give Tooth a chance. Decision making was not his forte. Although he felt vulnerable if he were to tell her about it, he had this yearning desire to share his problems with another person.

Tooth could empathize with his situation. Getting away from a bad past was never easy, especially a protracted one. Though it hurt her to see the young Guardian in a dilemma, all she could do was to stand strong for him.

Biting his lips, Jack spoke "I… I had a little sister Tooth. I saved her… that's why the Man in the Moon chose me…" Jack started to tremble, "But… I-I heard a voice… It-it told me that she suffered…"

A voice? Could Pitch be involved in this? Although she was curious, Jack's wellbeing was her main priority. She decided to focus on his little sister instead. "It could be lying Jack, you can't be sure that it's true. Maybe, you could tell me more about your little sister?"

Jack thought about it for a moment. Tooth might know something about his little sister. After all, she was a Guardian far longer than he had been alive. Uncertainty gripped his heart, but he made up his mind to share a chapter of his life with Tooth.

"Not much to say Tooth… She was much younger than I was, a small girl with brown hair and eyes." He sighed. "She thought of me as playful and naughty - she was always worried about me…" pulling his knees closer to him, he wrapped his arms around his legs. He turned to face Tooth and smiled weakly at her. "I don't even remember her name now… But, she believed in me… no one else did…"

Tooth sniffled, unable to hold back her emotions. The masked feeling behind his smile was heartbreaking. All he wanted was someone to believe in him, someone that he could confide in. She knew he was neglected by them in the past. "I'm sorry Jack… I really am…" she stuttered, between tears.

"I understand Tooth… It's alright…" But truth to be told, he didn't. Jack never understood why the other Guardians refused to acknowledge his presence before he was chosen to be one of them. Perhaps she was too busy collecting children's teeth from all over the world… Teeth? The word echoed in his mind.

That's right! Tooth is the Guardian of Memories; she could help him find his little sister's memories. His face gleamed at the thought of it and he felt revived with hope.

"Tooth!" He shouted out in excitement. "Her memories! My sister's! You kept everyone's teeth! You can get it for me, right?" His bright blue eyes were filled earnestly with hope.

Astounded, her feathers ruffled from the sudden change in the boy. His happiness put her crying to a stop. However, she was torn by his expectations and the bitter truth that she knew. His little sister's teeth contained memories of her childhood, but the box could only be opened by the girl alone. Panic struck her heart and she began to shift uncomfortably. Tooth tried to explain to Jack but her words were inaudible; she was scared. She just couldn't bear to see him lose himself again.

Words were unnecessary though. Jack knew that it was impossible from the molting of her iridescent feathers. It reflected her emotions. But it was not her fault that she couldn't fulfill his request.

Feeling crestfallen, Jack sighed. His hope for answers had dissipated. He needed the comforting presence of the wind and the familiar cold to forget all that had happened the night before. Standing up, he headed towards his quarter, knowing that his solace lies within it.

"Jack! Wait!" Tooth cried out.

He halted and turned to face the Tooth Fairy. It was genuine care on her features.

"We believe in you Jack… we always will."

* * *

The room was a reflection of Jack's emotions; cold and sullen. North had assigned each of the Guardians a place to stay in his workshop and it was up to them how it looked. His room was softly lit by a dome-shaped ceiling lamp coupled with a few candles placed in glass lamps that were scattered around. By the side, there was an unlit fireplace. Jack could never get used to the warmth it provided. Though it was lightly furnished, it provided sufficient commodity to the young Guardian who never had a proper room for himself before.

Closing the door after he entered, he retrieved his staff that was placed neatly by the side of his bed. It was his only possession since he was raised from the frozen lake by the Man in the Moon. He felt a deep connection with the object in his hands, even more so when he found out that he had saved his little sister with it. There must be a reason behind these feelings, he thought.

Jack placed it back by the side of the bed and approached the frosted windows. As he opened the casement, he jumped gracefully onto the wooden sill and leaned against the wall. Basking in the glacial winter wind, he gazed at the glistening field of snow – Tooth's words reigned in his mind.

Maybe, just maybe… they really do care about him now. Was he thinking too much? Their negligence was a thing of the past. He had noticed a change in him since the defeat of Pitch Black. Since then, he could hardly carry out his cue like he used to; bringing fun and mischief to the children of the world. Jamie was probably the last child he ever played with which had been months ago, he recalled. Not to mention, he had been giving a cold shoulder to the other Guardians as well. Could it be that his past that was restricting him? But it kept him safe; he did not dare to open up to the other Guardians.

Being the epitome of mischief, he saw no reason why they would want to associate themselves with him. But recently, they had proven to him from time to time again that they wanted him as part of their group. They have tried reaching out, yet he was reluctant to believe them.

It occurred to him suddenly that he did not ponder much upon Bunnymund's intention the night before. In fact, he felt bad for being unsympathetic towards someone who got hurt because of him. He tugged his hand into his sweater's pocket, drawing his legs closer to him. Though he was seized by insecurity, he decided that he should try and make a change.

* * *

Knowing that the Pooka had a keen sense of hearing, Jack opened the door quietly. He knew that the slightest alarming sound could wake him up. Delighted to find out that there was no one else in the room, he stepped in, knowing that a sleeping Bunnymund would make not complain – or at least he hoped so. Closing the door after he went in, he was careful with his steps as he approached the sleeping bunny.

Bunny had never looked amiable before; or at least to him. All he had ever gotten from the jumpy kangaroo was his furrowed eyebrows, challenging glares and stark remarks. Well, that was because he never actually started off well with him. Jack had always tried to play tricks on Bunnymund, up until the blizzard of '68 which had set the rabbit's last straw on fire. He remembered that day very well, it was Easter Sunday.

It started when Jack found out that there were Guardians out there who could see him. Since he loved the Polar region, he spent a good amount of years around it. His prolonged stay had led him to the discovery of Santa Clause. Though his first attempt to meet Santa ended up with him being tossed out by a yeti known as Phil. Ever since, he had always tried to infiltrate Santa's workshop, be it through the doors, the windows or any open crevices, but he would always be chased off by a very angry Phil and his crew. This happened for so long that sometimes he wondered if they had an alarm system that alerted them of his presence.

Then Jack discovered something new. There wasn't just Santa Clause, but there were four of them. The Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and the Easter Bunny; they all existed! They were known as the Guardians and their duty was to protect the hopes and dreams of the children of the world. Intrigued, he started to look for the whereabouts of the other Guardians.

It took him awhile, as her mini fairies were hard to follow. But eventually, he found out that the Tooth Fairy lives all the way in Southeast Asia. It was way too warm for Jack's liking and he didn't pursue her any further since then. The Sandman? Their meetings were rare, probably once in a few years. He enjoyed his company, but the Sandman doesn't really 'talk' per se as he only conjured images to communicate with him. After some time, Jack gave up trying to talk to him. After all, it can be quite difficult communicating with someone who 'talks' in images.

Jack finally decided that he should look for the Easter Bunny instead and it took him awhile to track down the nimble bunny. Only after years of trying that he decided to wait for him instead of searching around aimlessly. The next year, on an Easter Sunday, Jack waited patiently by a nearby village that was having an Easter egg hunt. And there he was, materializing out of nowhere from a tunnel. It was the first time he saw the Easter Bunny and he was thrilled! But, instinct told him that the bunny would just run away if he was to show himself and thus he started his own little game with him.

On every Easter Sunday, Jack would wait for him to appear. He would conjure chilly winds to blow against him as he liked seeing him shiver from the cold. It was fun! Bunny would mutter angrily to himself and cursed at the wind, wondering why it would be so frigid in spring and autumn! It was only until a couple of years before the blizzard of '68 that the Pooka found out that it was always Jack's doing; from that day on he took things more personally.

Bunnymund would try to ignore him and pretend that he wasn't there whenever the cold came by. It hurt Jack's feelings, but he wasn't about to give up so easily. He became slightly mischievous and played different tricks on the Easter Bunny; freezing the ground causing him to slip or making wherever he goes to snow. However, the bunny was more unflappable than he thought he would be.

So Jack figured that he needed to do something that counted and the thought of making it snow heavily on Easter Sunday was a great idea. He loved the snow as did the children! With that, he decided to conjure a blizzard to fill the land with snow – with the intention of bringing a new touch to Easter Sunday and… to tease Bunny as well! He was excited with the outcome of his work, but Bunnymund contrary to his expectations had been furious with the Winter Spirit.

Jack sighed as he remembered the Bunny's words, but that was a long time ago. He decided to put it away for now and gazed curiously at the sleeping Pooka; what made him search the whole night for someone who only made life difficult for him? Turning away, he laid against the wall and questioned himself. It certainly wasn't easy to let go of centuries of memories for things that happened over a few months. Yet, the bunny was able to overlook his playful tricks and went over his limits to look for him. What did he see in him that caused him to do such a thing? Jack wished that he could talk to him right now.

Deep inside, he reasoned with himself. The other Guardians might have a good reason for their past actions. He was in a way, destructive in his approach especially to the Easter Bunny. His eagerness for fun would overtake his rationality in making a decision to talk to someone. It was not as if he completely ignored him. Truth to be told, he did respond to most of his pranks and tricks, just that it was never a call to have a conversation.

Also, Jack was sure that if he had approached Tooth from the start, she would be more than happy to have him around. After all, he was very much loved by her and her mini fairies – or at least his teeth were. And besides, Sandy had always given him a chance to talk. It was his fault alone for not daring to make the first move, for he was a loner by nature. He had difficulty sharing his feelings.

His head throbbed with uncertainty; it was hard second-guessing himself. He felt like they were the ones who avoided him but in actuality, he himself wasn't very approachable either. Now that he had thought about it, he had been stricken so much by the fact that no one in the world could see him that he had begun to feel that the other Guardians did not believe in him as well. It was then that he decided that it was harmless to let the big four approach him in the future. He would not run away from them anymore.

Deciding that he should leave the room, Jack took one last look at the bunny. He touched Bunnymund gently on the forehead causing him to wince from the sudden chill. Jack let out a small chuckle; he still liked it when Bunny expressed his disapproval of the cold.

"Get well soon, Kangaroo," he whispered. A genuine smile spread across his face as he left the room.

* * *

_**Okay guys, first of all I would like to apologize for taking such a long time to post a chapter (And it wasn't very well written too T_T). I had a great deal of trouble trying to link my story together. I hope that you'll be patient with me as the story will start to make sense as it goes on!**_

_**Thank you very much for all the reviews, follows and favorites! They keep me very motivated to try my best! You've been very kind to me haha xD!**_

**_And I do enjoy questions, if you have anything that you'll like to ask, I'll be more than glad to answer you =D. Also, any suggestions and criticism will greatly help me to improve!_**

_** To AgentBugs: I know that xD. But ankle biter basically means a child. I want to make Jack a lil childlike in my story =D!**_


	5. A Haunting Shadow

Chapter 5 – A Haunting Shadow

Jack was curled up on his bed, his finger tracing the soft blanket that he was lying on. The lights were off but he had left the casement wide open, allowing the cold wind to swirl in. It reduced to a slight breeze gliding gently through the room, softly tousling his matted white hair. Despite the tranquility, the young Guardian could not sleep. His thoughts were running rampant, contradicting one another – engaging in a battle of heart against mind. A part of him wanted to be close with the other Guardians while the other told him that he should maintain his solitary life. Giving in, he sat up cross-legged on his bed. He stared at the unmarred logs that were lit dimly by the luminous moon, admiring the pale hues formed on the wooden surface. "If only the Man in the Moon would tell him what to do," he thought. But he never would.

Blindsided by an ominous feeling, Jack let out a gasp and leapt off to the side of his bed. He grabbed his staff and gripped it tightly with both hands – frost radiating from the Guardian's conduit. With the crook of his weapon pointed towards a darker corner of the room, he scanned the tenebrous shadow that lurked there. He saw it then, the tendril of darkness that was slowly emerging. Within the blink of an eye, it slithered across the room and went out through the slit beneath the wooden door.

His heart raced, it must be the voice that plagued his mind the night before. Curiosity got the better of him and without hesitation, he slammed the door open and pursued the fleeing shadow. His eyes sharpened with anger as he remembered how the voice had tormented him. With the aid of the wind, he managed to keep up with the intruder. The shadow took a sharp turn at the end of the hallway leading to an empty room. It felt like a trap, but he refused to miss the chance to confront his enemy. He decided to follow suit.

Landing nimbly on his bare feet, Jack cast a quick glance around the room, trying to locate his enemy. The door behind him slammed shut and the lights flickered off. Before he could react, he saw it. Trails of shadows seeped out from the crevices of the stone wall, crawling eerily to the center as they coalesced to form an unfathomable figure. Dark and murky like crude oil, the phantasmal form seemed to wipe out all existence of light itself. Then, it spoke.

_"My… my… who would dare stand so bravely in the face of darkness? Jack… Jack Frost?"_ It gave a dreary, mocking laugh. _"How unexpected…"_

He furrowed in anger, he did not like to be looked down upon. "I don't fear the darkness - Show yourself!"

_"How bold, by someone so fragile…"_ the voice replied, menacingly. _"We shall see about that."_

Darkness engulfed the room, blotting out every speck of light that remained; including the glow of the moon itself. Jack was alarmed, but he remained undaunted in his position. He needed to act, but to strike aimlessly at darkness would be a futile action.

_"It is not the darkness you should be afraid of Jack… but the things that lurks within it..."_ It gave a dry chuckle.

He turned around, but there was nothing to be seen. "I'm not afraid of you!" he shouted.

_"Oh but you are… for how else can I live in you?"_ the voiced sneered sardonically at the helpless Guardian.

An ethereal image began to form a couple of steps in front of him. Jack swung his staff at it, sending a gust of glacial air towards the image, causing it to disperse. But slowly, it began to condense again, forming a figure that was all too familiar to him. It was his little sister.

She was a shade, but it was unmistakably her; the petite frame, the brown hair and the wide pleading eyes. "J-jack… I'm scared." Her voice was tinged with fear.

His hands began to tremble but he reminded himself that it wasn't her. It was an illusion, created by the voice. Outraged, he thrust his staff towards the specter of his little sister, sending a chilling ray of frost at her. The ray phased through her and disappeared as it reached the shadow covering the wall. Although it punctured her chest, she merely regenerated the damage.

"D-don't hurt me Jack, p-please…" she begged, tears trailing down her cheeks. As she was crying, a pair of apparition emerged by her sides to console her. Jack stared in horror at them. One of them was his mother, a brown haired woman who was almost as tall as him. He remembered her from his childhood memories, telling him and his little sister to be careful before they headed out. He could never forget the doting smile on her. The other one was someone he had never met before; a man with scraggy brown hair, a great deal taller and bulkier than he was. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's but were filled with love and adoration. It could only be one other person, his father.

When they saw him, their tenderness was replaced by a visage of grieving sorrow. "Jack, w-we missed you… where have you been?" His mother wept. The man moved to her side and wrapped his arm gently around her shoulders. He stared at the ground, downcast. A drop of tear welled and trickled down his cheek.

Refusing to believe in them, he shouted in anger before slamming the end of his staff on the ground. A surge of frigid air erupted from it and together with a trail of sharpened icicles, they flew threateningly towards the specters. It exploded on contact, encasing them in a crystalline ice block as snow dusted lightly around the formation. Just as he thought they were gone, he could hear his ice cracking in increasing increments as it began to collapse - revealing his family, staring at him with accusation.

They began to question him fervently and their words slid into his mind like poison. "Jack, what have we done?", "We need you Jack, come back to us…", "Why do you always play around Jack… why won't you ever listen?" His head began to throb in pain; it felt like he was at the brink of insanity. He pleaded them to stop, but to no avail.

Jack dropped his staff and fell to his knees. Anxiety clenched his heart. Gripping his head with his hands covering his ears, he hoped to block off their ghastly voices. Overwhelmed by them, the frightened Guardian could no longer make a rational judgment. Shaken, he began to blame himself for their mourning… He was consumed, by fear.

The darkness shifted slightly before tearing apart as a void appeared at the heart of the room. Everything spun and contorted towards it as though they were being dragged in by a whirlpool. Jack screamed in horror as he was drawn closer to the endless shadow. The voice's laughter rang loudly in his mind, echoing within him over and over again.

* * *

_**Hey guys, sorry for the short chapter! I've been really busy with my assignment on Malaria. All the tryphozoites, Plasmodiums, Anopheles, chemoprophylaxis and doxycylines are driving me nuts haha. But here you go! I hope you guys will enjoy it =D.**_

_**Once again, thank you very much for your support! Without you guys, I won't be able to do this xD (HONESTLY!). Cheers and take care all of you! Happy Reading :)!**_


	6. The Bitter Truth?

Chapter 6 – The Bitter Truth?

Jack landed on his chest with a crash. Agony surged through his trembling body. Groaning in pain, he tried to get up only to fall flat again on his back. His vision was blurred and his surroundings spun and tilted as though he had vertigo. Though his vision was impaired, he looked around for any sign of dangers before closing his eyes to rest. He took a few deep breaths to try and regain his senses and stability but a distant shriek distracted him. Pushing through the pain, he forced himself to be alert.

A hamlet materialized in front of him and his surroundings were covered in snow, barely illuminated by the Moon. There was a lady running frantically from it. He remembered that village. It was a long time ago, but he could never forget the place where he found out that he was no longer alive. The feeling of fear and uncertainty plunged deep into his heart as he remembered how the boy ran through him.

Though distracted by his thoughts, he managed to hear a whistling object that was heading towards him. Quickly, he leapt sideways landing in a crouch. The arrow planted deep into the snow covered ground, missing him only by a mere few inches. The lady continued her escape from her assailant, taking no notice of him or the arrow as she disappeared behind the thickets.

Watching for any stray shots, Jack tried to stand up. His legs wobbled but he managed to keep himself upright on the snow. Something was not right about the village; he felt it down to his bones. Jack decided that he should go and have a look. He grabbed his staff laying several steps ahead of him and commanded the wind to carry him towards the humble hamlet.

His instincts were right; it was under attack by a horde of savages. The villagers were running away in all directions, but there were a few who fought valiantly with any farm equipments that they could get hold of. Corpses were strewn across the ground - men, women and children of both savages and villagers combined lay broken where they fell. Screams of the wounded and wails of the dying rang across the sky. Pure white snow was painted crimson from the blood of both innocent and guilty alike.

Bewildered, he scanned around, unsure of what to do. There were too many things happening at the same time. It was then that he saw them, his family. They were running towards a cottage that was their home. His younger sister was held tightly by his mother and his father was covering their backs, following them a few paces behind. They were nearing the door and Jack could only hope that they got in safely. But, his heart sank when he heard the distinctive sound of a bow being drawn.

Adrenaline kicked in. Jack instinctively flew towards the man who he knew was his father; shielding him with his own body. He saw the arrow only a few inches away, flying swiftly towards him. His eyes clenched shut and his teeth gritted, he was prepared for the impact of the lethal shot. But – it went through him… a phantom ache and he heard a sickening sound just behind him.

The arrow impaled his father's back, barely missing his heart. Blood splattered onto the snow as his father let out a choking cough, blood trickling from his lips. He fell heavily onto the dirt filled land, his hands reaching out towards his family. "Hide…" he said weakly to both his wife and his daughter as they turned to look back. A few more arrows thudded harshly in front of them and they were forced into a dilemma; Jack's mother desperately wanted to bring her husband to safety, but she had her daughter to protect. "Hide!" the man shouted at her with all the strength he could muster. Grief overtook her face as she turned and ran into their home, locking the door and leaving her husband out in the cold to die a slow painful death.

A group of the savages ran towards the cottage; in their hands was a burning torch each. Singing a song of war, they set the home on fire before taking off to incinerate the other buildings. The flame licked the wooden frames, spreading wildly in all directions. Trapped, Jack's mother and his little sister were screaming in terror as the blaze grew and grew. The flames engulfed their home as Jack watched them burn slowly, his ears ringing with their terrified cries.

The world behind him seemed to fade away. He could only hear their plea for help as he knelt on the ground, tears cascading down his cheeks. The heat was so intense that they did not freeze. The silhouettes of his little sister and mother were writhing in agony within the crumbling, burning home while his father continue to lay motionless on the ground. He watched as the inferno consumed everything that he cherished, together with the glimmer of hope he had left for his little sister. So it was true after all – she suffered worse than he could imagine… after his death…

Jack mind was thrown into disarray while his heart was filled with sorrow. His blue eyes were damp and wide opened, stricken with horror. The villages and savages vanished into a trail of smoke, together with all the buildings that made up the hamlet – including his home. Darkness converged together once again; haunting Jack with its unnaturally still air. The violence painfully cleared after the violent end of his once home.

* * *

_"How was it Jack? That was quite a show I have to say…"_ the voice mocked him, glee in its tone.

"L-leave me alone… You're lying… You have to be lying…" He knew he was back in the room as the floor patterns were strangely familiar. But it made no difference, reality or not, fear had gotten a hold on him and he wasn't strong enough to fend it off. He sat there, tensed and curled up, feeling broken and disparate.

_"Poor Jack, I don't have to lie. The truth is, you will forever be alone. No one… – what…?"_ It came unnoticed. Jack could see it through the slit between his arms. The darkness ripped apart, revealing an eerie flight of stairs. The sound of swaying cages was unmistakable, and he could hear the ominous footsteps as he descended down the stairs. Dressed in a black robe, the figure could only be one person that he knew. Pitch.

"Oh my… It looks like you have not changed at all Jack, still as weak as ever?" Pitch taunted.

It did not matter to Jack. Nothing could hurt him more than what he had already witnessed. Words were nothing to him now. But… why did Pitch sound more worried than he was being sarcastic?

Smirking, Pitch continued to provoke the young Guardian. "What happened to all the snow days and fun times? Haven't you grown all chummy with the, oh all so important Guardians?"

Jack maintained his silence but he winced as Pitch mentioned about the Guardians. Where were they? It felt like an eternity to Jack, stranded in this terrorizing darkness.

Pitch's eyes narrowed into a slit - grim and spoke of danger. "No matter... Listen Jack, though it pains me to do so – I came to warn you."

Shocked by his words, Jack looked up slowly, his eyes meeting the enemy he had once defeated.

"Ugh, spare me the pity." Pitch scoffed as he rolled his eyes in disgust at the helpless Guardian. "Heed my words Jack; your weakness… will be the source of its strength. It is far more cruel and ruthless than I am."

Without warning, the room trembled violently as the huge tear in the darkness began to reform. Pitch looked around nonchalantly before gazing back at the young Guardian. "It cannot be contained any longer… Be careful Jack, it does not live in the dark… it lives….."

Pitch's voice was suddenly fading away. He began to lose consciousness and his vision blurred. The darkness dissipated slowly together with Pitch as he started to fall slowly to his side.

* * *

Sandy's sand ball hit him squarely on the back of his head. Jack fell asleep instantly, drooping to the ground. Splinters that were once a door were strewn all over the stone floor. North, with both his sabers gripped tightly in his hands, cursed loudly at the retreating shadows. Rage on his countenance, he had kicked the door open. Tooth flew to their newest Guardian and knelt by his side before picking him up gently. She looked at Jack as he slept in her arms; even with Sandy's dream sand, he had an agonized grimace on his face.

"Could it be Pitch Black?" Tooth asked, worried.

Both North and Sandy turned to face her, unable to confirm or allay her fears.

* * *

**_Hey guys! Managed to slot in some time for my fan fiction! Christmas is by the corner and I'm really excited despite the overwhelming amount of lecture I have to catch up on xD! They are trying to drown me, but I won't go down without a fight LOL._**

**_I'm so sorry for being mean to Jack Dx! But I get my fair share of nightmares from time to time when I was way younger and it sort of prompt me to write this scene. They played quite a major part of my childhood, strangely._**

_**And thank you so much for your time to review and support my fan fiction!**_ **_You guys are great and I'm really thankful for your kind words, haha =D!_**


	7. The Man in the Moon

Chapter 7 – The Man in the Moon

Bunnymund stirred in his sleep, his ears twitched as he began to pick up the noise of the crackling fire. Aware of his surroundings, he opened his eyes and was surprised to find out that he was in his own quarter at North's Workshop. "Did Jack bring him here?" he thought. Hopping close to him was the last thing he remembered before he passed out. He had expected Jack to run away as he got close, but he was wrong.

Tugging the duvet away, Bunny attempted to get out of bed but ended up falling onto the stone floor with a thump. Turning to his back in order to sit up, he cursed at what he saw. The bandages on one of his feet were unbelievable. It was so thick that it looked nothing like a foot anymore! Grumbling to himself, he removed the bandages knowing exactly who would suffocate a wound like that. Tossing the ball of bandage aside, he accessed his own injury and decided he could walk with it just fine.

The Pooka walked out of the room and caught his breath. The stillness of the air on the hallway was overwhelming; it was as though it had been abandoned for ages. Knowing that the Guardians always gathered at the Globe room, he hopped his way there with care as his paws were still injured. He felt uncertain; usually the elves or even the yetis would scramble around the quarters, tending to their own matters. Something was definitely not right when he was asleep. The stark silence worried him and anxiety began to swell within him.

He saw the Guardians as he approached the Globe room, but there were only three of them… Tooth was the first one who took notice of him.

"Bunny, you're awake! How are you feeling?" She beamed at the Pooka, overjoyed to see him walking about.

"Good, I especially liked the ball on my foot, Tooth," Bunny snorted sarcastically.

Tooth's feathers fluffed up, taken aback by his snide remark. "I was just trying to be sure! Your paws were in a bad shape."

"Being a worrywart ya mean?" he simply replied.

Arms on her waist, Tooth shot an incredulous stare at the fluffy creature. She was clearly unsatisfied with his unappreciative behavior.

Bunny raised his hands as a sign of surrender to her. He wasn't in the mood to argue. "Alright, thanks. Are you happy now?!" Bunny said with a sigh.

"Much better!" Tooth chirped at him with a sign of self-satisfaction.

Rolling his eyes, Bunny took a quick glance around to spot for the mischievous white-haired boy, hoping that he might be hiding somewhere. But his gut feeling was right – he was missing, again. With an inquiring feature, he exchanged looks with the other Guardians, but they remained silent.

"Anyone mind tellin' me what happened?" Irritation filled his green eyes which have narrowed into a slit but he kept calm despite the anger that was building within. "You don't want to keep a rabbit waiting, mate," he said impatiently as he tapped his injured paw on the ground. The temporary elation died down and the other Guardians decided to resume their grave discussion.

North fixed a stern gaze at him; the Russian's face was of anger and fury. "A yeti saw Jack going in an empty room. It was a trap, he was attacked by… a shadow of some sort."

Sandy nodded in agreement. Above him was an image of a yeti with a… microphone? Bunny assumed that one of the yetis had informed them of a sudden infiltration by an enemy.

"Where is he? Is he alright?" Bunny questioned them with a look of concern.

Shoulders slumped, Tooth shook her head. "He's sleeping now… No injuries, but…" She looked away dejectedly. "He was looked devastated… even after Sandy put him off with his dream sand. We don't know what happened to him in there…" Her voice was broken from her effort to fight back her tears.

North gave her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder before returning his gaze at Bunny. "Pitch is behind this. No one else lives in darkness…" North concluded blandly.

Bunny winced as he heard his name. He remembered the Voice from the night before. If they thought the enemy was Pitch like he did, his assumption might be right. His uncertainty has grown into fear – not for himself but for what he might have done to the young Guardian. "It wasn't Pitch…" he said.

"What?" Tooth and North replied in unison while Sandy jumped and had multiple question marks popping out on top of his head.

"Met it when I was lookin' for Jack." Bunny crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder onto a nearby pillar. "It was just a shadow, and a bloody voice. More intimidating than the Boogeyman I have to say," he added with a hint of spite.

North had his doubts but decided to dig more thoroughly into it. Throwing his arms sideways, he asked. "What does it want? Did it say anything?"

Bunny gritted his teeth at his question. He didn't want to expose his moment of weakness to the other Guardians, but he recalled something the Voice said. It taunted the young Guardian even before it approached him. "Nothin' important. But it was after Jack… I don't know why."

Stunned by his answer, they were all lost in thought. North started to pace around, stroking his beard as he considered the possibility of a new enemy. Tooth poised around restlessly, contemplating if she should check up on Jack while Bunny remained quiet. Deep inside, he too was thinking about the Winter Spirit – why did the Voice want to torment him so? Sandy decided to tackle another problem and gazed at the globe of Earth. No matter what he did for the children of the world, they still did not believe in the Guardians and he was perplexed by it.

He stared at the miserable cluster of golden lights that sparkled on the globe as it rotates on its axis. Could the Voice that Bunny was talking about be related to it? Tooth did mention about fearlings in their previous discussion… Does this new enemy have the same power to transfer his dream sands into nightmare as well? He began to ponder about it and turned to face the Moon, hoping for some answers.

And he did not let them down this time. The glow of the luminous Moon grew brighter as it began to move until it was fully visible from the globe room, gleaming at the Guardians through the glass panels of the atrium. Sandy saw it and was delighted. He jumped and waved at the other Guardians, pointing at the Moon with his finger, ushering them to look at it. But as usual, the other Guardians paid no mind to him.

Frustrated, he scanned around the area in hopes to get his hand on an elf. As he couldn't find any, he decided to get the big Russian's attention instead since he was the closest to him. Sandy walked to him with penguin-steps and blew an inaudible whistle at him as he got close; dream sands in the shape of music notes flew in every direction. Still unnoticed, the Sandman walked and stood angrily in front of North; with his arms crossed just a few paces away from him.

"Shoo little one, why must you stand under – Oh, it's Sandy! What is it you want?" North beamed at him with surprise, he thought it was his elves initially. Though he was deep in thought and still frustrated that Jack had been hurt, he knew how to keep his feelings in check to avoid unnecessary squabbles.

Sandy pointed towards the moon and to avoid any complications, he conjured an image of a crescent moon as well, hoping that he will get the message.

"The Moon? You know Man in Moon doesn't speak to us! Unless it's real important," he laughed at him as he clasped Sandy's tiny shoulder with his huge hand.

Sandy was at his edge. He pointed at his eyes with two of his fingers and directed them to the Moon, tapping his foot on the floor in a dreary manner at the same time.

North shifted his gaze from Sandy to where his fingers were directed. "Oh ho! It seems Manny does wish to speak to us. You should have said something Sandy!"

Puffs of golden smoke bombarded the air just above the little silent figure. North knows he doesn't talk! Fuming within, he walked indignantly away from the Santa to express his disapproval of him.

They began to circle around the Guardian's crest where they would get the best view of the Moon. "What is it you want to show us old friend?" North hollered.

The moon began to concentrate its glow into a beam of light, directing it to the circular symbol carved on the ground just behind the control panels. They stared at in awe, waiting patiently for something to happen. A shadow began to form slowly as though the Moon beam was eclipsed by an unseen object. The big four let out a gasp – the shadow was Jack Frost.

"What is this?" North asked with his accented tone, looking from one Guardian to the other. Tooth and Sandy shrugged at him while Bunny just kept his silence, maintaining his sight on the image. And suddenly, the image shattered, revealing an ever growing darkness that began to consume a lonely, fragile snowflake. There was a moment of silence.

The Moon retracted its glow as it slowly began to fade away into the endless night sky, leaving a foreboding presence within the globe room. North fixated onto the floor; his expression was of a grimace. "Jack is in trouble," he said seriously.

Poised in the air, Tooth's elegance and grace were replaced by an alarming presence. "We must get to him, now!"

But someone else was ahead of them. Bunnymund was hopping as swift as he could despite his injuries, with only one person in his mind – it was Jack.

* * *

_**Hey guys! Managed to squeeze in some time to write on the weekends, but of course, I have to pay dearly for the time used xD... First of all I would like to apologize if you happen to spot major grammatical errors or spelling of any sorts. My friend (beta?) who corrects my language is currently busy with her own assignments and the upcoming Comic Fiesta. So... I would like to say sorry in advance if you're blinded by my poor English Language usage!**_

Also, I really do appreciate constructive feed backs. I've been getting reviews and PMs from some of the readers (Thank you so much :D!) and they have been a great help to me. I'm sorry if I happened to sound demanding, but I'll be eternally grateful if you could spend some time to give me a piece of your mind :D. I'm really eager to learn as this is my first attempt to write a fan fiction.

Anyway, enough of my rambling, haha. I really need to sleep now. Thanks for everything and Happy Reading :)!


	8. His Dark Side

Chapter 8 – His Dark Side

Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she tried to find a way out of the burning home. She had tried the window, but she could not reach it despite her effort to jump as high as she could. Spreading wildly, the flames began to torch every corner of the house. Smoke clouded her vision and stripped the precious air that she so desperately needed. Coughing as she tried to make her way back to the entrance, she began to feel light headed, gasping painfully. The fire burned mercilessly, turning the home into a blazing furnace. The unbearable heat took its toll on the little girl, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto the wooden floor. Devastated, she dragged her body with all the strength she had left, clawing her way miserably to the front door. As she got close, her hopes of survival were crushed by a pile of burning debris showering down, and blocking off her only path to escape. Tears streaming down her cheeks, the girl dropped in defeat. With her last bit of strength, she whispered the name of the brother she had loved and lost… "Jack…"

The young Guardian gasped in fear, his eyes shot wide open. It was a nightmare… Frightened, he looked around only to find out that he was back in his room. Brightly illuminated by the light and candles, it provided false protection for the white-haired child. To his displeasure, the window was shuttered close but at least the fire place was not lit. Fire… he cringed at the thought of it.

Hiding himself in the blanket, he trembled as visions began to haunt him. His face turned deathly pale at the sight of the burning cottage. In his isolated world of terror, the screams of his mother and his little sister echoed ghastly while they writhed within the burning furnace. His father was left to die alone in the snow, trampled upon by the feet of the savages. Fear tapping his shoulders, he begged them to stop. But all he could hear was the crackling of the blazing fire, the vicious song of war and the Voice… cackling maliciously at him.

"It-it's my fault… my fault…" Jack whimpered.

Losing himself in darkness, he was overwhelmed by his own emotions. He blamed himself for the consequences of his own death. If he had not been so fun-loving… he could have lived on as a normal boy with both his parents and his little sister. With him around, they might have survived the raid… they wouldn't have had to suffer. If he was never reborn… the other Guardians would not have to tolerate his mischief. If he was never a Guardian… Pitch would have-

Pitch… Jack remembered that the Boogeyman had warned him. "Your weakness… will be the source of his strength."

His weakness… The word lingered in his thoughts. He knew he had to stand strong to stop the Voice from controlling. But how could he? Nightmare or not, witnessing the death of his family has shattered his heart to pieces, leaving him all broken and vulnerable.

Since the Moon had brought him back to life, he felt as though he was at a dead end, with no aim and purpose. He yearned to be believed in and hoped that someone would see the values he had within him. Even as a Guardian, still nobody believed in him… No one ever believed in him, unless… they needed him for their own benefit.

Filled with contempt, he began to doubt his new companions. They weren't there for him… they only chose him because the Moon had told them to. He was needed to stop Pitch from destroying them. And after Pitch's defeat, they once again carried on with their daily routine, leaving him to wander around the world aimlessly, just as he did before he was a Guardian.

They saw him only as a tool and had him leashed like a hound, restricting his freedom with the rules and duties of a Guardian. And now when he was most vulnerable, none of them could be of any help to him. He had to confront this Voice, alone…

Throwing the blanket aside, he walked towards the casement, staring at the gloomy night sky. The frozen plains were desolate with no trace of life except for the wind that blew across its surface, carrying with it the powdered snow. Like them, he was meant to be alone. His only one true friend was the wind, for no one else would understand him at all.

Furrowing his eyebrows in anger, he tried to find a way out from his struggle with the Voice. Then, a seemingly brilliant question came to him. If Tooth was helpless in his request, why does she still keep the teeth of the deceased? There must be a reason… Tooth must have lied to him. He decided that he was on his own from this day on; the other Guardians will be of no help to him. Kicking his staff into his hand, he knocked the casement open and flew off with the wind – determined to find the memories of his little sister on his own.

* * *

Painting the horizon in streams of gold, the bright morning sun shone magnificently in the region of South East Asia. Beneath him, mountains as old as time itself were strewn across the luscious greeneries, hidden by the clouds that hung low amidst the towering wonders. Rivers spiraled down towards the low lands while waterfalls cascaded down the mountains, leading to lakes that formed within the heart of the forest itself, giving a touch of balance between water and earth.

But Tooth's Palace stood out even amongst the endless beauty of nature, soaring high above it, reflecting its elegance with its flawless surface. With seven columns made completely of gold and marble, they sparkled and glowed as light touched their iridescent bodies, complementing the resplendence of the inlaid jewels that tessellated the majestic palace.

Jack was enthralled by the scene, but he had not come to bask in its glory. Landing smoothly, he surveyed the columns in hopes of finding the depository of the magical box. However, he had forgotten that he was a living legend in the eyes of the sprites.

Hundreds of hummingbird-like creatures dashed towards the white-haired Guardian, chirping excitedly as they brushed their elfin faces against him. Unable to contain his joy, he began to reach for the sprites touching their delicate feathers – but one of them in particular caught his attention.

It was Baby Tooth! Determined to get to Jack, Baby Tooth nudged her way through her brothers and sisters. Jack clasped her gently between his hands, bringing her face to his and brushed her cheek softly with his finger. Baby Tooth cooed with delight while the other sprites were filled with jealousy, chittering angrily at them.

Jack laughed heartily; he loved them because… their affection was genuine. But he had come here for a reason and he was determined to achieve it. Putting on a smile to mask his remorse, he took a few small steps away from the cluster of hummingbirds.

"Go on little fellas, you have a tooth to collect before sunrise!" he laughed, waving them away playfully.

The sprites sighed in disappointment and flitted off in all directions, resuming their work – all except for one. Baby Tooth was still trailing Jack from behind.

Jack turned and saw a hopeful look on her features. A sinister plan passed through his mind. At first he was hesitant but then he knew it was the only way he could find his little sister's memories without having to search through the whole palace. He hated himself for it, but he had no other choice but to make use of Baby Tooth.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey… Baby Tooth?"

She warbled questioningly at the young Guardian. Interest sparkled in her eyes.

Twirling his staff in one hand, Jack avoided her gaze to hide the growing guilt within him. "Do you know where my memories are?" He asked her, hopefully.

Baby Tooth bobbed her head in glee.

Jack was elated. Unable to withhold his emotions, he beamed at Baby Tooth looking as childlike as his appearance would suggest. "Can you take me to it?!" His voice was filled with joy.

Baby Tooth gasped and turned away from him in shock. It was not her place to bring someone to their memories.

Jack was disappointed. The childhood memory of a person is something very precious, very personal and he knew that it was her duty to protect it and he knew that she had to adhere to the rules of her uniform. But desperation shadowed his conscience and he knew what he had to do.

Tooth and her fairies never could resist the beauty of his sparkling teeth and he decided that he should use it and her credulity to his advantage.

With a grin that touched his eyes, Jack asked pleadingly. "Please…?"

Baby Tooth was smitten by his charm. Her tiny violet eyes flickered and her cheeks were flushed with adoration. She paced around with uncertainty, reconsidering his request. Jack had saved her and her siblings after all; he would do no harm to any of them, she thought. Falling for his trick, she nodded In agreement as she flitted around him, motioning for him to follow her.

Jack patted her head. "Thanks Baby Tooth!"

Though it got him what he wanted, he felt the burning slash of guilt for the misuse of Baby Tooth's trust. He was naughty and mischievous… but he had never thought he was capable of such an underhanded approach.

They flew to the column located at the center of the palace; Tooth's room was right at the top of it. Baby Tooth turned back to wave at him as she pointed towards a gold painted construct below. As Jack got closer, he could see that the wall was studded with a half-cylindrical object, each with a picture of a young child.

He searched around hastily looking for the box that belonged to his little sister. But the humming sound from Baby Tooth's wings reminded him that he was not alone. Knowing that he wasn't here for his own memories, he couldn't afford to let the little fairy know of his true intentions

A grin spread across his face. "Hey, Baby Tooth! Do you want to play a game?" Jack suggested to her as he whooped around with feigned joy.

Baby Tooth stared quizzically at him but the child in her couldn't resist the temptations of fun and games. She nodded fervently, chirping eagerly at the idea.

Tapping the crook of his staff on his palm, a tiny snowball materialized out of thin air. Freezing it so that it would not melt immediately under the temperate weather, he tossed it as far as he could.

"Catch!" He shouted mischievously.

Without missing a beat, Baby Tooth flew swiftly after the snowball, leaving the young Guardian alone – exactly like he had planned.

* * *

_**Hey guys! Can't wait to get through this week, Christmas is just by the corner =D. Classes have been hectic, but it wasn't all too bad as this week's lecture were much more interesting.**_

_**I really want to thank all of you who reviewed my fan fiction =)! I was jittery over the fact that I might have made plenty of mistakes for my previous chapter but now I feel so much better, knowing that my mistakes were very minor and hardly significant =D. Thank you so much for your time and effort to leave a review. I really appreciate what you're doing for me XD.**_

_**Anyway, here's another chapter and I hope you'll enjoy it =). Happy Reading!**_


	9. Never Too Late!

Chapter 9 – Never Too Late!

Bunny had this perception that he was crippled and he hated every moment of it. A numbing pain crept drudgingly from his feet, reaching up to his knees as he hopped. His injured paws supported him defiantly, threatening to trip him with each step. Wobbly and unstable, he felt as though his legs were made of jelly. What seemed to be a short journey had turned to a painstakingly slow one. Nevertheless, he struggled against the pain and hopped on.

Upon reaching the door of Jack's room, Bunnymund stopped to catch his breath. Cursing, he could not believe how quickly he had fallen into the brink of exhaustion. He must have beaten up himself pretty bad the night before; his priorities for the moment lie elsewhere. All he had in mind was to look for Jack, and to bring him back to safe hands.

But, something was wrong… An uneasy feeling stirred within him as he felt the arctic breeze that whizzed its way gently through the tiny opening.

Slamming the door wide open, Bunny was taken aback by what he saw… or more like what he could not see. Billowing mercilessly through the gaping casement, the gelid air of the North Pole ghosted the bright, but _empty_ room. Jack was missing.

Panic struck him and his thoughts went wild – did the creeping Shadows take Jack? No it couldn't be, the Shadows were all bark and no bite; it couldn't have taken Jack away.

Did Jack run away from them then? Of late, he has been acting weirdly, avoiding contact with any of them whenever he could. It didn't make any sense to him, although Bunny felt that the young Guardian was not to be blamed. The Voice, it must be behind all that was happening. He must warn the other Guardians of this, but he could already hear them approaching him.

Tooth and Sandy glided swiftly in the air while lagging behind was the giant of a man, treading his way in a brute-like manner across the hallway. They had tried to follow Bunny the moment he fled from the globe room.

"Jack's missing!" Bunny stared at them, anxiety stricken his eyes.

Tooth faltered in her flight. "Oh no, we're too late…" She was disheartened. She knew that she should have checked on him earlier or even stayed with him from the start.

Sandy hopped out of his sand cloud, clearly disappointed as he peered silently onto the floor.

North scrambled towards them. He heard something in the line of 'too late' but he was never someone to give in easily.

"No! Never too late…" North exclaimed in between breaths. He exchanged glances with his fellow Guardians who were looking at him expectantly, waiting for a plan. "What are we talking about?" He asked, confusion apparent on his face.

Bunny shot him a look of disbelief. "Not funny, mate. The boy's gone! And now I've to start searchin' again. Who knows where he had gone to?!" He jabbed accusingly at North. "And what's your plan? Ya better don't tell me your belly says he's at the South Pole." The snarky rabbit snapped impatiently at North.

North blinked at him, startled by Bunny's sudden outrage. Since when did Bunny get edged so easily? It was strange that he cared so much about Jack too, but he decided to calm him down first. "Ha! You know my belly is never wrong," giving a playful grin at Bunny. "We know Jack! Maybe we can start search at the lake?"

"Hold-hold it! The lake?" Bunny threw his arms exasperatedly in the air. "The only time I bloody caught him there was when he had a nightmare. And returned with this too," he pointed at his trembling feet.

North frowned, he was just trying to keep things under control. "Bunny, calm down. We will look for him together," his voice was calm but stern. "Right Tooth? Sandy?" The two nodded in agreement.

But Bunny was aggravated instead by his reassurance, strangely. "Sure. Just like how the rest of you left him alone in his room… together?" He replied, sarcastically.

Frustrated as his patience was running thin, North retorted. "What's the matter with you?! You have any better idea where to look for him?" He stared imposingly at Bunny. "And last I know you're the one who tried to chase him away!"

Guilt burned within Bunnymund. If he had known what the boy was going through, he wouldn't have been so harsh with him. _"But none of them believed in you, mate,"_ the words swirled like a caustic stream in his head. Bunny remembered the look of defeat on Jack when he belittled him, and the smugly smile that he wore to taunt the boy with. He should never have done that.

But North has no rights to rub in his past mistakes, it was between him and Jack. Clenching his fist in anger, Bunny took a bold step forward to meet his stare, determined to tell him off and to mind his own business.

Tooth hovered around them restlessly, begging them to hold their horses as they have a pressing matter to attend to while Sandy bounced around the floor waving golden flags in both hands, hoping that they will surrender the unnecessary squabble.

Straining, veins were noticeably popping out from both Guardians; neither was willing to give up. The growing disagreements from both sides brew together, tensing the hallway and the air that filled it. A fight was about to erupt between them, both ready to strike at one another. But suddenly, Tooth let out a gasp, drawing their attention away from each other.

Her eyes strained in concentration as she tried to pick up the noise that rang in her ears. Telepathically, she could hear the chirping of her fairies, bright and cheerful as the morning sun. They told her that Jack had paid them a visit. Their stories were filled enthusiasm and joy, but what was this dark and ominous feeling that gripped her? Tooth panicked as possibilities sprouted like wild grass in her mind.

"M-my fairies told me that Jack is at my palace. I-I'm not sure why…" She declared with uncertainty. "I must find out!" She flew away without waiting for an answer, going as fast as her mystical wings could carry her. Worried, Sandy decided to follow suit and dashed after her with his dream cloud, waving a farewell to the ones behind.

"What are you waiting for? We have lead now," North motioned for Bunny to follow, forgetting everything that had happened. "Let us hurry to the sleigh," he started stomping down the hallway enthusiastically.

Bunny cringed at the word, but he knew that the way to Tooth's Palace through his magical tunnels were inefficient as it was all the way up in the sky. He wanted to get there fast as Jack was acting strangely - he felt as though he was under some form of control. Bunny thought over his travelling options.

An idea came to his mind, but it was going to be a long shot. Hoping that North would not shower him with questions, he decided to give it a go. Grabbing onto North's long, red coat, he asked with a tone of urgency in his voice. "Can I use one of your Snow Globes, North?"

Bewildered, North thought that Bunny had gone mad. He hated his portals with a passion – even more than his sleigh. In confusion, he cocked his eyebrow. "Globe you say?" He touched Bunny's forehead with the back of his hand. "Are you down with fever?"

Bunny brushed his hand away, agitated. "My tunnels aren't fast enough, I just need-", Bunny cut himself off half way through. He did not want to explain, he just had this imperative need to get to Jack at this very moment. To be honest, he wasn't being quite himself as well. Looking away from North with his ears drooping down, he appealed. "Please?"

Stroking his flowing beard, North looked at Bunny, totally bewildered. Growing fond of the young Guardian was another thing, but to ask for a Snow Globe? He seemed to have changed. The Bunny he knew was a proud and arrogant rabbit; he would never ask for help or expressed his concerns. But North thought over about it and decided to oblige his request. "You owe much explanation to me," he warned.

Pulling out the Snow Globe from his coat, he shook it lightly and whispered 'Tooth Palace' before he flung it onto the floor.

The empty space tore apart as a whirling portal emerged out of thin air, bearing the distorted image of the said place. "In you go," he said simply as he pushed the Bunny towards the portal. "I'll be right there, I cannot hop like you do," North wriggled his gigantic foot at him.

Nodding appreciatively, Bunny leapt into the portal, swirling in and gone out of sight. North let out a breath of exasperation, uncertain of his old fellow comrade's motive.

* * *

Bunny scrunched his eyes shut as he swirled violently into another dimension. He hated the sensation of flight and decided to just focus his attention onto something else. An inquiring curiosity pricked his mind as he thought about Jack. Why has he grown so concerned about him out of the blue? He had no definite answer for it, so he decided to think about the time he had spent with Jack instead.

In that short period of time when they were helping each other and fighting together back to back, he noticed something unnerving about the young Guardian. Much like himself, Jack would never show his emotions in front of others. He hid them all, his disappointments and feelings of rejection; behind his smiles, his mischievous blue eyes, his laughter… He would do anything to keep his distance from them, hoping that they would not see the real him. But Bunny could understand his feelings, somehow.

Isolated in his cold world, Jack had to endure the painful truth that no one believed in him nor appreciated his presence. Winter is the season of death they say. People cursed the sleet storms and blizzards for the mishap and dormancy it brings. Though some of them do relish in his creations, they took him for granted as he was just so insignificant in their lives.

As much as Jack tried to look independent, the child in him would never leave him. Jack, like any other teenagers, yearned for understanding and someone to be there for him. He never felt friendship or love with anyone he could relate to. The solitary centuries had taken its toll on him, stripping off his sense of self-worth, making him feel that he did not belonged anywhere. Having fun was the only thing he could do, to keep his freezing heart going on…

Bunny could feel himself slowing down; he was reaching the end of the portal. Landing on all fours, he threw quick glances around the majestic palace. Twitching, his ears caught hold of a swishing sound from behind him. He caught a glimpse of a white spherical object flashing across in the open air just as he turned towards the source. Jack was still around.

* * *

_**First and foremost, I AM TRULY HAPPY BECAUSE I MANAGED TO GET A BUNCH OF PRINTS AND BADGES FROM COMIC FIESTA TODAY xD. Though I had to scale the exhibition hall for a good 3 hours with my crutches lol. But it was still worth it!**_

Another chapter is up and ready! Thank you very much to those of you have reviewed (Though it wasn't many T_T). It meant a lot to me and I'm really glad that you took some of your time off to do so :D. (To AgentBugs: I can't thank you personally by PM haha. But I'm glad you liked it! And you're most welcome! I love Baby Tooth too xD, she's just so... adorable!)

To avoid a barrage of rotten eggs, I think I should explain myself... (Headcanon was it?). But anyway! The reason I made Bunnymund not being able to use his tunnels to get to Tooth's Palace was because I find it really strange if he could get to her place directly through a series of tunnel... You get what I mean! I know he could have somehow hopped over the mountains or something, but yah, portal seemed like a better idea for me xD.

So anyway, thanks again for reading my fan fiction! Merry Christmas to all of you out there (Soon lol xD) and happy reading!


	10. All For A Friend

Chapter 10 – All for a Friend

With Baby Tooth out of sight, Jack decided to examine the socketed wall. It didn't take him long before he came across a familiar face, with impish brown eyes and a mess for his hair – it was him, before he had died. His hand reached for it, but he froze halfway through as the burning home appeared vividly before his eyes, their cries keening in the dark, cold night. Snapping his eyes shut, he shook his head in a desperate attempt to clear the horrid image. Pulling his hand away from the golden box, he knew that his childhood memories would only remind him of his family's tragic demise. Regaining his focus, he scanned through the surrounding boxes, thinking that his little sister's would be somewhere close by.

A chill ran down his spine when he heard the throaty noise from behind. Hands gripping his staff tightly, he turned around with great haste, assuming a defensive stance. But his pale face softened as he identified his assailant, it was Bunnymund.

Jack took a step backward, glancing away. "Bunny…" Memories from the night before flashed in his mind. He felt guilty, but he wasn't planning to give in. His only chance to rid himself of this nightmare was to find her memory box, there was no other way.

Bunny had seen everything. He was hoping that the boy was just trespassing, but that clearly wasn't the case. Crossed-arms, Bunny eyed him suspiciously. "What a'ya doing here, Jack? It's rude to sneak into someone's home." His voice was almost accusing towards the young Guardian.

Jack grew icy from his words and his feral instincts kicked in. Bunny wasn't here to help him, he saw him as an intruder. Just like the others, he was no different.

"Leave me alone, I have my reasons."

"Thievin' around the palace isn't a good one," Bunny replied bluntly.

Jack frowned. "I'm not! I'm only taking what's mine."

"Those boxes do NOT belong to you, Jack. Ya could have asked Tooth if you want it!" Bunny retorted in anger. But, he regretted his words as soon as he saw the sudden change in the boy.

A biting gale billowed through Jack's hair as it crossed through the desolated platform; a sign of warning from the Winter Spirit. He had asked… but she wouldn't help him, no one ever would. "Why do you even care? You never did before." Jack retorted bitterly.

Bunny winced, taken aback by his words. "What-what d'ya mean I never did!?" He pointed irately at his accuser "YOU were running away all the time, how was I supposed to-"

Glaring at Bunny with hostility, Jack threatened him with his staff – frost glistening dangerously from it. "Only because HE told you to! All of you never wanted me in the first place…"

"Get your head right gumby, that's not true!" But Bunny could see that he was no longer talking to the Jack he knew. The wind blew menacingly, his blue eyes were deathly cold and that stare… it was icier than the one he had used against Pitch.

Jack fixated on him, giving him a last warning. "Leave- me- alone. I mean it."

"No I won't, Jack," Bunny replied, undaunted. Scuffing his paw on the marbled floor, Bunny readied himself for the inevitable.

* * *

Jack's eyes sharpened with malice. With a thrust of his staff, a jet of frost flashed dangerously towards Bunny.

Side stepping, Bunny dodged it with ease. He knew that he had to get close if he wanted a chance to win. Hurling himself forward, he tossed both his sturdy boomerangs at Jack. They whirled towards him at a great velocity, closing in on him in the blink of an eye.

Jack ducked in time causing both the artilleries to zip through the air just above him. Rolling away swiftly as he knew that the boomerangs would circle its way back to its owner, he resumed his stance, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Brandishing his weapon with confidence, he formed an arctic gale to crash its way through the air towards Bunny, knocking both of his boomerangs astray.

Caught by the wind, Bunny was smashed against the column with tremendous force. It knocked the breath out of him, his sight fuzzed momentarily from the crushing pain. Landing to an unsteady crouch, he tumbled away in the nick of time from the incoming storm of icicles. The Pooka knew that Jack had no qualm in hurting him as he saw the sharpened volley of ice stabbing mercilessly at the marble column.

Analyzing his situation, he knew that he would only be able to retrieve one of his boomerangs which lay a few feet away from him. Although he stumbled initially, he still managed to burst into a sprint before grabbing hold of his trusty weapon. If he had been any slower with his roll, he would have been ornamented by the second wave of icicles. The glacial onslaught had taken its toll, Bunny's limbs quivered from the short conflict as he had not yet fully recovered from his previous collapse.

Bunny was doubtful that he could outlast Jack, but he knew he had to try and stop him regardless of what it takes. The boy was definitely not being himself and he was determined to help him out of his delusional state. The Pooka had a plan, though it was an all or nothing gamble. Hopping to the nearest pillar with great agility, he catapulted himself off of it towards the Winter Spirit.

Drawing an arc with the crook of his staff, Jack conjured a barricade of sharpened icicles that exploded from the ground, a deadly trap for the approaching Bunny. But noticing the smirk on the rabbit, he realized he must have missed it – the barrage of Easter Eggs that whistled playfully towards him. Sheltering his head with both his arms, the iridescent explosions caused him to skid backwards.

Bunny shattered the remnants of the blockade as he landed, making a mockery out of the crystalline wall. He gained the upper hand, knowing that Jack was disoriented from the blast. Bunny then engaged him relentlessly with a flurry of explosive Easter Eggs followed by a dexterous vault towards him in attempt to close the distance.

The grenades produced a cacophony, accompanied by clumps of prismatic smog as they detonated in the air and shattered the jeweled platform. Jack sprang desperately from one location to another, aided by the wind as much as it could. He barely avoided each and every oncoming assault

Jack was at a disadvantage. He could not take off with the wind with the constant catastrophe that distorted its flow. Sweat trickled down his pale, frosty skin from the continuous attempt to escape, ears ringing in pain from the impact of the whimsical blast. He knew he couldn't keep up his assault any longer; his world spun and his lungs were heaving from the lack of air.

The next explosion caught him by the edge, knocking him down and sprawling him across the ground. Jack struggled with great effort to regain his composure. Though his injuries were minor, he lacked the energy to counterattack.

His paws burned with agony as his wounds had reopened. But despite the pain, the agile Bunny launched himself forward and tossed the last of his festive bombs with great accuracy together with his boomerang. He had no intention of giving Jack a chance to retaliate.

Jack could hear the whistling in the air – he knew had to act now to defend himself. Flipping on his back, he impetuously swung his staff, conjuring a breath of frigid air, freezing the incoming bombs solid.

But, his relief was short-lived as Bunny was one step ahead of him. The hardy boomerang sailed ahead of him and sliced the inactive missiles, causing them to explode, a direct impact to the young Guardian.

Grazed and burned by the fragments, Jack was thrown a few feet away from the impact, crashing on his back. Weakly, he struggled to get on foot, but he couldn't even lift himself from the ground.

Panting endlessly, he had once again pushed himself over his limits. Though he was exhausted, Bunny managed to catch hold of his returning weapon. His muscles were twisting in denial from the strain he was putting on them. But, determined to end this fight, he leapt towards Jack with the little strength that he had left, gripping his boomerang tenaciously to deal the final blow.

Squirming from his injury, the adamant young Guardian refused to give up. With a trembling hand, he struggled to plunge his staff towards the Pooka, radiating a blast of gelid beam from the crook of his conduit. The palace was tainted with a spine-chilling cold as tremendous power surged through the Guardian's conduit; the ray pulsated dangerously on its crook. He had to do it. It was a choice between life… and death. Suddenly, his mind grew still, and Jack could barely hear the whisper.

"You fool," Pitch's voice mocked his gullibility.

Gasping back to his senses, he dropped his staff instinctively, but it was too late. Though the shot went astray, it hit squarely on Bunny's waist, freezing a chunk of his flesh and shattered it instantaneously. Bunny screamed from the unbearable anguish, his flesh tearing away with a gush of blood, spraying in all directions. The gnashing cold that ran through his body was excruciating, the chill of the Pole was nothing compared to it. However, Bunny continued his assault despite the excruciating agony.

A cry of pain escaped the young Guardian. Jack felt as though his ribs were crushed when Bunny slammed his knees onto his chest, pinning his dominant hand to the floor at the same time. Powerless, he clenched his eyes shut, and his frail body tensed as he waited for the finishing blow.

* * *

Bunny had seen what he had wanted to, the hesitation in Jack. Just like him, the boy was under its influence as well. Ever since his encounter with the Voice in the forest, things have been very different for the Pooka. The feeling of fear would overshadow him, in every unfavorable or dire situation. As though he was constricted by chains, he could not restrain himself from acting irrationally. Its power was much stronger than he thought; it had almost absolute influence over them, especially so for the helpless boy. The Voice… It was using fear in their hearts to take control over them.

But Bunny felt that he could let go of everything now. He began to loosen his grips as he gazed at the trembling boy. At least he knew that Jack was still the selfish, innocent Guardian he met. He never changed. Bunny hoped that he would come back to his senses, letting go of all the lies or nightmares the Voice had plagued his mind with. He cared for him, he really did.

A clattering sound rang in his ears. Jack felt the grip on his hand loosening, the force on his torso lessened significantly. What came next surprised him though. It was not a blow, but a gentle tap on his forehead. Reassured, Bunny's green eyes flickered gently into his view.

"Wa-wake up… ya lil a-ankle biter…" Bunny stuttered, in between passing breaths. The strain and injuries he suffered had finally caught up to him. Drooping to the ground, he groaned deliriously, clutching weakly onto his bleeding wound. His body began to shudder uncontrollably and his vision slowly wavered into perpetual darkness. He could still hear Jack crying out to him, but even his voice was beginning to fade away.

Jack struggled to get up, but his body disobeyed him. He stretched his hand towards the fallen Bunny, in vain. He threshed and begged, hoping for a chance to make up to his dying friend. But slowly, his frail body began to give in to exhaustion as well. His desperate calls had turned into a broken whisper. His consciousness gradually slipped away and together with it, his sight of Bunny. The last glimpse he had, shattered him far worse than the Voice could. Just like his father, Bunnymund has laid still, on the blood-stained ground.

* * *

_**Hey Guys! I've actually tried to be a little more adventurous and included a fighting scene for this one! Do share your thoughts about it with me!**_

_**Well I have nothing much to say this time, but thank you very much for your reviews :D! Being an introvert, as well as a person with low self-esteem, I tend to judge very harshly on myself... Thus, I'm really happy that you took your time to review, your words mean a lot to me! The motivation and joy that I gain from it are tremendous haha =D.**_

_**So once again, Merry Christmas everyone (For real this time xD)! I hope you'll have a great time with your family at home (or/and in Church!). Happy Reading :D!**_


	11. Fear and his Master

Chapter 11 – Fear and his Master.

The dark, decrepit cave rumbled violently from the bellowing of a tenebrous entity, causing rubbles in the form of pebbles and soot to shower down in a dreary manner, dusting the still and humid air. But as though he was unaware of all the commotion that was happening around, the humanoid shadow walked indifferently in the midst of the turmoil.

The Voice boomed in sheer frustration, "Pitch… Why must you foil the plan that I have so perfectly weaved!"

There was a deadly silence, penetrated only by the swaying of the cages that hanged bleakly in mid-air, plaguing the lifeless pit with a symphony of creaks and shrills.

"Explain yourself. Or else..."

"Or else _what_?" Pitch chimed in, wearing a comical gaze as he stared at the empty space above him. "You'll drag me down once again, to the pit? Beneath the bed?"

Grits from the aged rocks rained down once again from the ceiling as the gloomy lair shuddered. The Voice was clearly aggravated by the Boogeyman.

Pitch's eyes held a glint of satisfaction, "Is that your answer? Threatening to drown me with gravels of my own home? How frightening…" He feigned a mocking shiver.

"Enough with the nonsense, Pitch! You sought to destroy the Guardians just as I did, but now you have attempted to stop me again," the Voice held a tone of resentment. "What exactly are you up to, Boogeyman?!"

"Oh, I simply saw no urgency in destroying those wimps just yet," he replied nonchalantly. "I want them to suffer for what they have done to me, what fun would it be if the Easter Bunny had simply just died…?" Pitch lied.

"Such complacency... And do not take me for a fool Pitch, I know what you are up to... You can't overthrow the very embodiment of fear with your little games. I am a form of higher power, nothing like the rest of you!" Voice jeered at him.

Waving at the air absent-minded, Pitch walked up the flight of stairs that led to his miniature Earth globe, hiding the fact that his words had been seen through. "Then, why can't you just leave me alone and carry on with your plans? The one with the higher power?" he sighed sarcastically as he observed the little lights that danced across the spherical globe.

The miserable clumps of golden lights slowly flickered off as a swirl of darkness began to engulf it. The Voice had no intention to play around with Pitch anymore. It growled, "Not until you agree to be absent in my future plans, Pitch."

Agitated, Pitch scoffed at it. "Humph, you overthrew my reign and now you expect me to step aside? Consider this a fair game _Phobos_."

The said name snarled, "Do not make me tip the balance, Boogeyman. We both know what I am capable of. Are you willing to put your precious source of power, in danger?"

Pitch winced from the threat, but his voice remained impassive. He knew that the tyrant had planned this from the very start, but there was nothing he could do to stop him. "Is that a challenge _Phobos_? Well then, do not blame me if one of your plans happens to slip again."

Cackling, the dark monstrosity mocked his feeble attempt to defend himself. "Children are beginning to think that you do not exist, Boogeyman. You are nothing to them. Soon, your control over me will be lost, and I will definitely devour you for all the years of slavery."

Eyes narrowed to slits, Pitch stared dangerously at the darkness that engulfed the globe. "Try harder _Phobos_. If you think you have the upper hand in this, think again!"

"I do not have to, Pitch. With the power I have harvested from the weakling, it will only be a matter of days before you submit to me. You have merely delayed the inevitable," a sinister laugh echoed as Phobos departed from the miserable lair.

The Earth globe flickered to life once again, rotating slowly on its own axis as the darkness slowly slithered away from every corner of the Boogeyman's home.

* * *

Pitch stood still for a moment in the silence; the cages lay dead, suspended above the ground. Furious, he cursed at the dazzling lights that were the cause of his defeat. Pesky children, he hated them so much, yet his power over fear was totally dependent on them. How ironic.

He had lost his control over fear. To his utter disgust, he has to depend on the Guardians to restore his former power. However, being taunted by his own power was far worse than frolicking with those clowns, and he had no other choice. If they cannot stop Phobos from being rampant, then no one else in the world could. The children of the world were at stake.

Pitch turned to gaze accusingly at the rocky ceiling as though he was looking at the Moon. "This is all your fault, old friend. You have put me into this world to protect your precious children from the uncontrolled fear that they felt. If only you had not stopped me with your new pets, this would not have happened!"

Still staring, his eyes sharpened with malice, "It was bad enough that you have forsaken me in my whole life and now, you have decided to stop me when I only want to be believed in again! Now fear runs rampant in the heart of every child and there will be no one around to be able to keep it at bay…"

Pacing around the landing, Pitch remembered the glorious days when he had total control over fear; every child believed in him in the dark ages. The children would not run astray from home when the sun was down and they would obey their parents for they were afraid that the Boogeyman will come after them from the dark if they disobeyed. All was perfect for him for he was believed in, they were afraid of him and in return, he kept them save.

But everything changed when the Sandman, the Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny were chosen. Children who were once frightened of the Boogeyman now basked in all the joy and happiness the Guardians provided them with, they forgot all about the fear that had helped them all to become more careful and independent in life. The fear that had once took care of them.

And to make things worse, the Man in the Moon had even chosen a child to be a new Guardian. Pitch's eyes flared at the very thought of Jack Frost, remembering his schemes to regain his rightful power that were laid waste by the child. The other Guardians were fools for they have not noticed it. Jack, like any other child, was a source for their strength. But his was a little different and Phobos knew about it. When Jack was chosen and was given great power, he still retained the essence of a child. It has made him special; his believe in the Guardians or even in Phobos would be as pure as the snow that he commands, equivalent to that of a few thousands if not more than those of the children of the world.

Pitch knew that he has scarcely any time left before his control over Phobos wanes completely. He needed to act quickly. The other Guardians must know of this and gain Jack's trust before fear takes over his heart once more.

* * *

_**Sorry for the late update xD! Been really busy with my studies this few days and for the coming New Year Celebration!**_

_**Thank you very much for all the reviews too, I really appreciate them haha =). On a side note, I've been working on an (AU - High School Fanfiction)... juggling too much with only 2 hands! But I hope I'll be able to keep up with everything I'm doing.**_  
**  
To AgentBugs: I'm really glad you liked it! Jack was being influenced by fear and he was sort of driven out of his mind because of it, hence I made him a little mad =(. I'm so sorry I'm being mean to Bunny and Jack too haha!**

**_HeadCanon: Phobos (I took the name from the God of Fear in Greek mythology haha) is the embodiment of fear itself. Unlike the book, I want to believe that Pitch was chosen by the Man in the Moon to govern fear in the heart of all children. But when he was disbelieved, only fear remained in them and not the fear they have for the Boogeyman and thus Pitch loses his power._**

**_I hope this clear things up =D. Happy Reading guys!_**


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